As we move forward into 2021, gaming in the world of Tolkien’s Middle-earth is still in a great place. There is a varied choice of games with new products being released. There has been company changes (most dramatically in the One Ring’s case from Cubicle 7 to Fri Ligan) and potentially some lines being completed, but there is also several new unreleased games on the horizon.
Below is a round up of what is still being produced, I’ll look into each in more detail in future blogs. This lists paper & pen RPG, board games and computer/console games.
Please note, my main focus is
on games with the licence from JRR Tolkien’s books, and not the Peter Jackson
films.
It’s all gone quiet from Ares for now, but we are still expecting the following expansions to be released:
- Hunt for the Ring: Light and Shadow
- War of the Ring: Kings of Middle-earth
There still hasn’t been anything official, but there were reports in 2020 that Ares were going to produce a card game based on their War of the Ring line. Still waiting on an official announcement, but here’s one of the reports: https://www.dicebreaker.com/series/war-of-the-ring/news/war-of-the-ring-card-game-revealed
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1265780/The_Lord_of_the_Rings_Gollum/?curator_clanid=1738300
Upcoming PC and console game where you take the role of Gollum in a story-driven adventure.
The Lord of The
Rings Living Card Game
https://www.fantasyflightgames.com/en/products/the-lord-of-the-rings-the-card-game/
The last release from this line
was “The Hunt for the Dreadnaught” after the conclusion of the “Vengeance of
Mordor” Cycle.
FFG announced in early 2020 they would take a hiatus and since then various factors have led to people concerned the line has concluded.
Journeys in
Middle-Earth
https://www.fantasyflightgames.com/en/products/the-lord-of-the-rings-journeys-in-middle-earth/
Journeys in Middle-earth is a board game controlled by an app. The Moria expansion “Shadowed Paths” was released in 2020 along with the “Dwellers in Darkness” figures pack and the “Haunting of Dale” campaign pack (DLC).
In a GenCon 2020 video update (30
July 2020) Chris Gerber, Head of FFG Studio, said next “Middle-earth is going
to war.”
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10qOUFfWU4g&t=1718s
(about 28 mins in)
Lord of the Rings
Living Card Game (Digital version)
https://www.asmodee-digital.com/en/lord-rings-adventure-card-game/
The One Ring
Roleplaying Game / Adventures in Middle-Earth Rpg (D&D 5e)
https://frialigan.se/en/startpage/
After the dramatic dropping of the One Ring by Cubicle 7, Fri Ligan have stepped up to continue the game. Currently in development, information has been provided from the following places -
Newsletter #1: https://mailchi.mp/f9532265c0f0/the-one-ring-newsletter-1
Newsletter #2: https://mailchi.mp/9c0643282818/the-one-ring-newsletter-2
Newsletter #3: https://mailchi.mp/3a74279ca132/the-one-ring-newsletter-3
Youtube Fria Ligan Showcase for The One Ring: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XaRwhmAw95o&t=26s
Some expected products:
- Core book – setting in central
Eriador – Bree and old Arnor (starting date of T.A. 2960)
- Starter set – Shire guide and adventures (Writer: James Michael Spahn)
- Loremasters Screen – Rivendell and Grey Havens booklet
- Tharbad book
- Moria (Writer: Gareth Ryder Hanrahan)
New interview (23rd January
2021) with updated information from Francesco: https://www.effektpodcast.org/149
Unnamed MMORPG
http://www.athlongames.com/athlon-games-partners-with-middle-earth-enterprises/
http://www.athlongames.com/amazon-game-studios-and-leyou-to-co-develop-game-based-on-the-lord-of-the-rings-world/
http://leyoutech.com.hk/athlon-games-inc
https://www.amazongames.com/en-gb/news/articles/amazon-games-to-co-develop-game-lotr
Back in September 2018 Leyou Technologies (Athlon Games) announced they were working with a partner and Middle-earth Enterprises to create an online game set in Middle-earth. Since then we have learned the partner is Amazon Game Studios and it will be a free-to-play massively multiplayer online game. The Amazon TV series is unrelated to the game, the license for the TV series comes from the Tolkien Estate.
This game is currently in
development.
Lord of the Rings:
Rise to War
https://www.neteasegames.com/news/game/20200616/30576_886887.html
https://www.facebook.com/lotrrisetowar/
This mobile game is still in playtesting.
Lord of the Rings Online
https://www.lotro.com/en
They also released the expected festival dates, I’ve created a blog about that here.
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